A radial piston pump with a load regulator, inserted in a suction bore, is known already from German Published Patent Application 3734928. This load regulator includes a rotary piston which, when it is in its terminal position, releases a maximum through-flow, cross-section. When the load regulator is turned in the direction toward the other terminal position, the through-flow cross-section is diminished until a minimum value is reached. The load regulator is adjusted from the outside by means of an adjusting drive. The installation of a load regulator makes it possible to adapt the output of a radial piston pump with high accuracy to the requirements of a consumer with greatly fluctuating power consumption, for example, a hydromotor for powering the fan in motor vehicles. During actual driving operation, this results in an output saving reduced fuel consumption. This known arrangement, however, does not work in a fully satisfactory manner as regards the uniform filling of the conveyor cylinders, especially in the lower regulating range, when there is partial filling. As a result of uneven filling, pressure pulsations and noise are increased in radial piston pumps due to the specific design and type involved.
The purpose of the invention is to design the radial piston pump so that it will be able to supply the oil needed by one or more consumers over the broadest possible regulating range. Here, it should be possible to maintain uniform filling of all conveyor cylinders in case of any momentary conveying volume. This requirement is to be implemented with the least possible structural effort and only minor changes in the outside dimensions of the pump.